System and method to seal using a swellable material

1. A sealing system for use in a wellbore, comprising:

an inflatable bladder disposed on a conveyance device; and

a swellable material in functional association with the inflatable bladder;

wherein the swellable material swells when in contact with a triggering fluid and the inflatable bladder is adapted to be controllably expanded independently from any swelling of the swellable material in direct response to a filler material being introduced into the bladder.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the swellable material is disposed within the inflatable bladder and wherein the swelling of the swellable material causes the expansion of the inflatable bladder.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the swellable material is disposed on the exterior of the inflatable bladder.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the swellable material swells to seal against the wellbore when in contact with the triggering fluid.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the swellable material is disposed within the inflatable bladder and wherein the triggering fluid comprises fluid surrounding the inflatable bladder so that if a leak occurs in the inflatable bladder the triggering fluid comes into contact with the swellable material causing the swelling of the swellable material.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the swellable material is located on one end of the inflatable bladder and another swellable material is located on the other end of the inflatable bladder.

7. A sealing system for use with a well, comprising:

a swellable material disposed on a conveyance device, comprising a tubular member;

a control line other than the tubular member proximate the swellable material and extending to an Earth surface of the well from which a wellbore of the well axially extends, the control line having an end near the swellable material and external to the tubular member;

wherein the swellable material swells when in contact with a triggering fluid that flows from the control line to form an annular seal between an exterior surface of the tubular member and a casing or wellbore wall.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the control line is exterior to the swellable material.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the control line is embedded in the swellable material.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control line extends along a length of the swellable material.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control line includes a plurality of holes to evenly distribute the triggering fluid along the length.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the control line is embedded through an interior surface of the swellable material.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the conveyance device comprises a tubing and the control line is disposed within the tubing.

14. The system of claim 7 , wherein flanges are disposed at each end of the swellable material and wherein the control line is disposed through an upper flange.

15. The system of claim 7 , wherein the control line extends from a downhole container.

16. A sealing system for use in a well, comprising:

a swellable material disposed on a conveyance device;

wherein the swellable material swells when in contact with a triggering fluid to contact a wellbore wall or a casing to form a first annular barrier in the well; and

wherein cement is disposed in the well to contact the wellbore wall or the casing to form a second annular barrier adjacent to the first annular barrier.

17. The sealing system of claim 16 , wherein the conveyance device comprises a casing and the swellable material swells to contact a wellbore wall.

18. The sealing system of claim 16 , wherein the conveyance device comprises a liner and the swellable material swells to contact a wellbore wall.

19. The sealing system of claim 16 , wherein the swellable material is disposed at two locations on the conveyance device and the cement is disposed between the two locations.

20. The sealing system of claim 16 , wherein the swellable material isolates a permeable formation from an impermeable formation.

21. A method for sealing for use in a wellbore, comprising:

deploying a swellable material on a conveyance device in the wellbore;

exposing the swellable material to a triggering fluid to cause the swelling of the swellable material;

monitoring the swelling process of the swellable material, comprising monitoring a temperature of the swellable material; and

using the results of the monitoring of the temperature to determine whether swelling of the swellable material has been initiated.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the monitoring step comprises deploying at least one sensor in proximity to the swellable material.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the deploying step comprises embedding the sensor in the swellable material.

24. The sealing system of claim 16 , wherein the cement is introduced into the wellbore from the surface of the well.